Meet administrative partners, llc's Newest Client

Doris E. McMillon is the President and Chief Strategist Officer for McMillon Communications, Inc., a full-service communications and marketing firm specializing in strategic positioning, branding and effective communications. Ms. McMillon has co-anchored and reported in prime-time news hour slots including tenure at Metromedia/Fox New York flagship station, WNTW-TV, where she went undercover as a welfare recipient for the hard-hitting, Emmy Award winning series, The Welfare Rip-off. For more information, please visit her website at www.mcmilloncommunications.com.

administrative partners, llc will be assisting McMillon Communications prepare for a request for proposal as well as all administrative tasks that will assist Ms. McMillon in growing her business.

We are happy to welcome Ms. McMillon into the administrative partner’s family.

Business Proposals

What should go into a business proposal?

There are some things that tend to be similar across business proposals. These are tendencies and not rules. The only time there are rules is when the customer issues a Request for Proposals (RFP). An RFP, if it has sufficient detail, will tell you what should go into your proposal and how it should be presented. Sometimes, the nature of a product or service being offered or industry practices provide some guidelines for proposal composition and/or layout.

A typical business proposal might include:

* An Executive Summary introducing your company, what you will do or provide to the customer, and how the customer will benefit from what you propose.
* A statement of work or technical approach describing what you will do or provide to the customer. An implementation schedule and description of deliverables is usually included. If products are being proposed, then product descriptions are usually provided (the amount of detail depends on the customer’s requirements).
* A management plan describing how you will organize and supervise any work to be performed. A schedule of major milestones and allocation of resources may be provided.
* Corporate qualifications that describe your capability to do or provide what you are proposing. Relevant prior experience is usually highlighted.
* A Staffing Plan that describes how the project will be staffed is sometimes on large service contracts. If particular people are important to the approach, their resumes are usually provided.
* Contracts and Pricing. If the proposal is being used to close a business deal, then business and contractual terms are usually provided.

Some RFPs will set a page limit on the proposal. Some don’t. Some RFPs will tell you the format/layout to use, and some won’t. Some RFPs will tell you what evaluation criteria and process the customer will follow. And some won’t. The customer sets the standards and defines the rules.

If your proposal is going to be submitted to a Government agency, then the composition and layout of the proposal may have regulatory requirements to comply with. In the case of the Federal Government, these are usually based on the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR).

(Taken from www.captureplanning.com)

Happy Holidays!!

Remember to take time out to share with family and friends the Holiday season. Happy holidays and I look forward to working with all business owners looking to grow their businesses in the coming year.

Showing Your Business Skills on the Job

Intrapreneurship is the opportunity to exercise your entrepreneurial skills within a company or organization. It is a great way to gain corporate independence as well as increase your profile within the company and the industry. Robert Wallace, author and CEO of Bithgroup Technologies Inc. in Baltimore, shares what it takes to become a successful intrapreneur.

Understand that an intrapreneurial venture requires many of the same skills as starting your own business. Is there a need for this separate business unit? Will you be able to manage the budget and resources required for success? How will you increase value over time?

Develop a business plan. Plan for development, sustainability, and growth with provisions made for change and innovations. Wallace also suggests that as you develop your plan, consider your professional goals and how the structure of your business plan will address them.

Know the rules of engagement in your company. "Every organization has a culture, and the culture defines the rules about how success is attained," Wallace explains. How receptive is your organization to new ideas or business concepts? What have been the channels of completion for other projects? "A lot of minority professionals don't understand that it's not just about the credentials and how hard you work."

Build strategic alliances that advance you. To move any idea forward, an employee needs the advice and support of mentors and advocates, senior level executives who will advise you on how to manage the political climate.


Taken from Black Enterprise Magazine (Kingsley Kanu, Jr.)

Outsourcing for Small Business

The phone’s ringing off the hook, employees are working overtime to handle the overload, and your website is buzzing with activity. These are all “good” problems we wish for, but are you ready if they become a reality? Today’s business happens at warp speed, and efficiency is a key hallmark of success. One way to gain efficiency is to focus your energy on the things that are of core value to your business. Keep those activities in-house, and put your non-core functions on the hot seat – even small business outsourcing is a reality in today’s business environment.

To make outsourcing work for your business, try the following:

Analyze your expertise

Take a look at the value you offer your customers and where you focus your efforts. Are you spending too much time on areas that are outside of your expertise? Many times, it is more cost-effective to have someone outside of the company take care of these non-core activities. Research various service providers and ask for referrals so you can start outsourcing functions such as logistics, accounting, IT services, payroll, public relations, and more.

"A small business owner should evaluate outsourcing just as any other business decision,” states Walter Turek, senior vice president, sales and marketing for Paychex, a national provider of payroll, human resource and benefits outsourcing solutions. “Criteria should include:expertise in performing the function, confidence in the service provider, return on time invested, risk versus reward, and peace of mind consideration."

Outsourced but not out of mind

Once you find an outsourcing vendor, be sure to keep your eye on the ball! Since you can’t just walk down the hall to oversee the quality and timeliness of outsourced work, continue to tightly manage whatever functions you outsource. Arrange for regular reporting to ensure accountability and effectiveness.

Move “fixed costs” to “variable costs”

Some functions in your business require only part-time work. An example might be bookkeeping. If your needs add up to only four days a week in bookkeeping work, then consider outsourcing. That will allow you to move the burden of “fixed” costs (in this case, a full-time salary) to the “variable” side (an outsourced vendor). In essence, you pay for the outsourced functions only when you need them.

Jump on opportunities from downsizers

Be aware that the rigors of this economy are forcing big business to shed non-core functions. After all, corporations must find ways to maximize profitability, which they do in part by reducing their expenses. Just as in small businesses, outsourcing allows big companies to move fixed costs to the variable column. Like you, they pay for the outsourced functions only when they need them. From a business development perspective, this may represent a trove of opportunity for you. You can develop an entire business model centered on providing services that used to be in-house at large companies.

Our Bottom Line

The primary message here is that outsourcing is here to stay and it should be something you entertain for your business. Concentrate on the key aspects of your small business, where customers find value, and outsource other business functions to outside experts. If you monitor vendors carefully and focus on efficiency, you’ll be positioned for rapid growth and success.

http://www.startupnation.com/articles/1276/1/small-business-outsourcing.asp

Taking a Break Can Help Grow Your Business

One of the strategies of business growth highlighted on the popular website startupnation.com, suggested that a business growth strategy was “taking a break”. With the holidays just around the corner, this might just be the encouragement you need to take a break and spend time with your family and plan for the coming year’s business opportunities.

The article mentioned that there is too much of a good thing. The same things that give you a mental buzz can also stress you out if you don’t take a breath and relax now and then. This will also ensure that you don’t’ lose the fun factor in your work or the passion for what you do. This is why mental time outs are an important part of business.

This mental break may not come in the form of a physical vacation, but perhaps just taking a few minutes away for the madness during the day to take a walk around the block. You must give yourself permission to stop. Some ways to deal with this mentioned were:

1. 1. Keep a time log. This will help you keep track of the time you wasted and you can use this time to do something that will help you relax.

2. Plan for each activity. Pad extra time around meetings and task to account for time-killers such as traffic.

3.3. Evaluate the quality of your clients. Only do business with clients who don’t take advantage of you, who pay you on time and who are pleasant.

www.startupnation.com

Virtual Assistants in the News - Entrepreneur.com

Virtual Help for Real Entrepreneurs
Learn the many roles a virtual staff can fill to help grow your business. By Pattie Simone | October 14, 2008

If you're like most entrepreneurs, you've got piles of paper cluttering your office and to-do lists that seem to be multiplying like rabbits. The good news is that many of the tasks that keep you from being as productive (and profitable) as you could be can be outsourced. You may not think you can afford to hire help, especially in these economically turbulent times. But the fact is you can't afford not to.

Today's Profit Formula
The internet lets you access scads of talented folks with a click of your mouse. And while some tasks, such as filing or greeting clients, might require on-site work, many administrative, marketing and sales functions can be handily accomplished using the services of one or more Virtual Assistants (VAs).

Having a VA frees you up to do what you do best. The smart profit formula for lots of successful entrepreneurs (whether they're a firm of one or many) involves a little front-end investment for maximum returns.

For example, Danny Bradbury, a Canadian freelance writer with clients in his home country, the UK and the Middle East, has seen his workload decrease by 25 percent and business increase 30 percent since using a VA for administrative tasks, such as scheduling interviews, transcribing interviews, tracking down contacts, doing back research and registering him for webinars. Sounds like a darn good deal, right?

Three More Takes Regarding VA's
Laurie Macomber, president of Colo.-based Blue Skies Marketing, an SEO company serving clients across the country, uses a team of virtual workers from different areas (including Canada) to handle diverse functions. Her VA, Melissa Silva, [works] out of her Georgia home. She accomplishes an impressive list of tasks for Macomber, including:

• Team management and communications
• Scheduling and tracking jobs
• Setting up virtual password protected communications and file sharing system
• Sending presents to clients for referrals, writing and sending out handwritten thank you notes
• Research

Proofreading and "prettying up" documents
According the Macomber, aka the Google Guru, along with the benefit of having time to run her business, she loves that she doesn't have to deal with any personnel or HR issues typically associated with a part-time or full-time employee.

"At first I thought it was outrageous when I discovered the cost would range from $30 to $35 an hour, but their hour is so efficient," Macomber says. "Their 15 minutes is another person's hour."

Michael Katz, chief penguin of Blue Penguin Development, an electronic newsletter relationship marketing firm in Massachusetts) concurs. He went back to work with a VA after a three-month stint with a less productive employee. His L.A.-based VA, who works for Ohio-based Coaches Marketing Source, handles behind-the-scenes tasks that include the mail server and shopping cart, as well as projects related to spell checking and what Katz calls "important detail work."

Katz found his VA through a friend's recommendation. Katz says his VA experience has been purely positive. "She allows me to be more effective. I know that there's a direct connection between the increased income I see coming in," Katz says, adding it covers the expense of paying his VA.

Kim Beasley is the owner and senior developer of several businesses, including CustomizeWordPress and Agape3 Business Services, a five-year-old web design and business consulting firm in St. Louis. She has clients all over the world, including Australia and Canada, due in no small part to her team of VAs. Unlike Katz, who prefers to utilize his VA for back-end tasks, Beasley assembled a VA team of professionals with specific skill sets that directly handle many of the services she offers. Her three VAs take care of graphic design, content management, audio and video editing, as well as a range of internal administrative work like managing Beasley's calendar, scheduling webinars and training, putting networking information on Facebook, etc.

"I believe in using the strengths of my VAs, and those things I feel I can outsource, I do," Beasley says.

Because of the web and the various business-related portals and programs (such as Basecamp, GotoMeeting, Twitter
and Facebook) these entrepreneurs can do everything a traditional brick-and-mortar does, and more; including client prospecting, account management, selling products and providing services. Effective VAs are worth their weight in gold.

Pay It Forward

Pay if forward!! What does that mean? No matter what stage of business you may be in, you have experienced trials and tribulations that have gotten you where you are. Most business owners give back to the community in one way or another. On great way to do this is to assist other business owners through sharing your experiences in business. This can be done by participating in networking events that allow you to interact with other business owners; taking in what they have to share and sharing your own experiences. There are also organizations such as SCORE that of provide opportunities for mentorship other business owners.

Paying it forward doesn't have to be solely in the area of business. There are many local and national charities that may be able to benefit from your expertise. Why not explore these avenues of community service to see how you can "pay it forward".

Building Confidence in Selling Yourself and Your Products/Services

Confidence to exceed in business cannot be faked. Therefore, it is important to build a core level of confidence so that even in times of nervousness or uncertainty, you will not be moved.

1. Continuous preparation and action assure unshakable confidence.

Everything thing that you do contributes to how people view you and your business. Do you follow up after meetings and sales? Do you stop and think during the day “What is the most productive use of my time right now?” Do you pour your heart and your mind into everything that you do?

We build confidence by planting seed for future opportunities and not by being complacent or unproductive. Once we stop and coast along, our skills decay. Success breeds success; that because we come to a point in our actions where our enthusiasm is the culmination of all the hard work that went before.

2. You must solidly believe in who you are and the value of what you are selling.

Do not second guess yourself and what you believe in; improve who you are rather than try and be like someone else. Are you operating from your core belief system and taking the actions your gut tells you to take. Most people don’t realize how powerful they become when they don’t have to think through their actions.

We become unsure when we don’t prepare enough, read enough study enough or work hard enough. Our confidence comes from knowing we have put the work in and prepared for success.

So here’s to success in business.

Taken from Entrepreneur magazine Sept 2008 – Solid to the Core by Barry Farber

Starting a Business?

As many of us begin in business, we contemplate what we need to do NOW to get up and running; thinking we will worry about the other things later. In most cases, these basic THREE pieces are of great importance to providing a clean professional look for your business.

1. A logo: This brands you as an actual company. When you name is not attached, it should still be clear what type of company you have. Is this true of your logo? Perhaps it is time for a redesign.
   
2. 
   A Business card: Since we all know how important networking is, a business card is key for these types of social gatherings. These new contacts, must be able to get in contact with you regarding either a direct connection with you or someone that you know. This business card must also have your logo on it so that the marketing strategy of "branding your business" is further manifested.
   
3. A website: Who would have thought years ago that web presence would be so important to commerce in general – not just e-commerce? If you do not have a website, you can best believe potential clients will question the legitimacy of your business. Obviously a website has many benefits.
   
   1. It is available 24 hours/7 days a week (times when you aren't)
      
   2. Has the potential to provide general information about your business.
      
   3. Increased your chances of branding your business.
      

      
      

Many of these aspects of starting a business may take some time to develop, but ultimately they will make a huge difference in how progressive and profitable your business becomes.

10 Tasks a Virtual Assistant Can Do That Would Make Your Life Easier

1. Check phone messages
2. Check emails
3. Follow up - on phone messages and emails
4. Prepare Newsletter (either online or print)
5. Manage your contact list (keeping it current/accurate)
6. Introduce you to products in the marketplace to help you run your business more effectively.
7. Manage calendar/appointments
8. Research opportunities for you to showcase your business.
9. Customer invoicing
10. Prepare marketing and advertising.

These rules are not set in stone, but rather just an example of how a Virtual Assistant can give the busy business owner time back so that they can focus on growing the business.

Independent Contractor vs. Employee

The IRS has recently started an initiative to educate new small business owners on their federal tax responsibilities. One area in which new small businesses can get caught up is when advancing to the point where they need add additional “hands in the pot”. According to the IRS, “it is critical that you, the employer, correctly determine whether the individuals providing services are employees or independent contractors. Generally, you must withhold income taxes, withhold and pay Social Security and Medicare taxes, and pay unemployment tax on wages paid to an employee. You do not generally have to withhold or pay any taxes on payments to independent contractors.” (http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=99921,00.html)

Filing at 1099-MISC of Independent Contractors

According to IRS.gov, if you paid someone who is not your employee, such as a subcontractor/independent contractor, attorney or accountant $600 or more for services provided during the year, a Form 1099-MISC (PDF) needs to be completed, and a copy of 1099-MISC (PDF) must be provided to the independent contractor by January 31o f the year following payment. You must also send a copy of this form to the IRS by February 28.

Preparing and Filing Form W-2 for Employees

At the end of the year, the employer must complete Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement (PDF). A copy of this form must be given to the employee by January 31st after the end of the year. You must also send a copy of the W-2 to the Social Security Administration (SSA) by February 28th (after the end of the year) unless you file it electronically -- then it is due on March 31st. Employers can prepare and file up to 20 W-2s at a time, free of charge, at the Social Security Administration’s Web site. Using SSA’s online W-2 filing, employers can also print out all the necessary copies of the W-2 for their employees, state taxing agencies, etc.

Click here to see a cost comparison of using full time employee versus a virtual assistant for your administrative needs.

Delegate Your Way to a More Productive Business

As business owners you are no doubt always looking for the most effective way to spend your time. It is important to truthfully assess how productive hours are spent on a daily basis. Keep in mind that there is a distinct difference between busy and productive. Busy entrepreneurs can quickly get caught up in the “busywork” of running a business. Tasks such as checking emails, handling invoices or other payments, making travel arrangements, preparing handouts (instead of preparing your presentation), etc. can rob one of many productive hours each day. These tasks, though necessary to keep a busy running, are not the elements that provide the sustainability to keep a business growing.

With that said, here is a word that any student of business has heard heard millions of times – DELEGATE. Of course it would be in the best interest of your business if you could focus your more productive hours on the things that yield the most return. Ask yourself, “What limits me?” and make sure you find ways to address those limitations. It may be a good idea to start setting times monthly to access and readjust if necessary – check-in with yourself and your business to make sure you are staying on track. By delegating some of these tasks to someone with a lower rate per hour, the busy entrepreneur is free to concentrate his/her hours on more productive tasks; therefore seeing an increase in productivity, prospects, clients, and income.

What does a Virtual Assistant do?

The International Virtual Assistants Association defines a Virtual Assistant (VA) as “an independent entrepreneur providing administrative, creative and/or technical services. Utilizing advanced technological modes of communication and data delivery, a professional VA assists clients in his/her area of expertise from his/her own office on a contractual basis."

VAs are used by many different types of professionals for a number of different services. For example, some VAs specialize in assisting Realtors® with transaction coordination, logistics regarding open houses, etc. Yet some assist speakers with RSVPs for seminars, PowerPoint presentations and handouts.

However a busy professional chooses to use their VA is really a matter of customization. What do you need to hand off to someone else so that you can concentrate on the core competencies of growing your business? No doubt, the answer to this question is different for everyone.

administrative partners, llc offers a wide variety of virtual assistant services – from the basic administrative duties such as proofing and sending letters to more involved areas of business growth such as contacting clients on the professional’s behalf. Visit our website to find out more about the services that we offer, and stay tuned for additional services in the near future.

Administrative Partners, LLC - Virtual Support for the Growing Business

Welcome to the resource for busy business professionals on how to use a Virtual Assistant (also known as VAs). Virtual Assistants have the potential to become valuable assets to any business. However, many people who need us, don’t quite know it yet. This blog’s goal is to educate everyone on the power of a Virtual Assistant to assist you in growing your business.

Welcome,

Tamika R. Johnson, MBA, Principal

administrative partners, llc - Virtual support for the Growing Business

www.administrativepartners.net

tamika@administrativepartners.net